


The Past's Darkest hour

by NaotoTainaka



Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/F, Minato and Naoto is siblings??, NaoRise because this ship deserves more, Naoto in P3, Post Vanilla P4, Time Travel Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27606800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaotoTainaka/pseuds/NaotoTainaka
Summary: I left Inaba, searching for the truth in order to find you, my brother, that I've been looking for. Only to be brought back to the past to fight alongside you in the past's darkest hour.
Relationships: Kujikawa Rise/Shirogane Naoto
Comments: 8
Kudos: 20





	The Past's Darkest hour

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE NOTE: This particular story is taking place after VANILLA Persona 4, and Persona 3 FES. But I may or may not gonna add something that was introduced after those two games. Yes, that means Arena games plot is out of the window for this one.
> 
> Anyway…welcome everyone!
> 
> This is actually a rewritten, translated version of a very old, unfinished Indonesian Persona fanfic that I made 10 years ago. After a long discussion with my friend (totally not simping) regarding Persona 4—in particular Shirogane Naoto and NaoRise fanfictions, it made me decide to try to write again despite giving up the mantle as a fanfiction writer for…4 years now.
> 
> Thus, pardon me if there are a lot of grammatical mistakes, I have no beta and I am certainly rusty with my writing skills.
> 
> Regardless, do enjoy!

My eyes affixed to the green scenery outside of the window that seemingly stretched out to infinity and beyond. I attempted to search for something, anything that may possibly catch my eyes and distract my lethargic mind to it.

However, nothing but green could be seen.

Nothing…

A sigh escaped from my lips. I played with the tip of my navy blue bangs before turning my body around to stare at the room I was in. The sight of my grandfather's empty office filled my vision, reminding me of the fact that he is currently away, out of the country to solve a case, apparently.

The thought cause a small feeling of jealousy to bubble up within me, but I shook my head to get rid of such childish thoughts, sighing once more.

"Senpai and Rise-san went back to Tokyo, grandfather is away, everyone appears to be busy with their summer activities, and there is no mystery to be solved right now…" I mumbled as I pouted, as if I'm a sulking little girl.

I forgot how it feels to have nothing to do, and it was a feeling that I no longer miss. Especially after what I went through, as horrible as it may sound, the mystery regarding the serial killing case, TV world, Shadows, and Persona…it did reawaken my childish excitement regarding solving mysteries.

As much as I do not want to admit such a thing, I believe my Shadow has made it obvious that the feeling is a part of me, a part of my identity.

" _You are but a child!"_

" _Shirogane Naoto, such a cool, manly name."_

I remembered what my Shadow said as if that moment happened yesterday. However it was far from the truth, it has almost been a year since that turning point of mine in that magical summer. Ever since, I have realized my reason to be… _me,_ to be the Shirogane Naoto that I truly desire, that I idealize.

A female detective that is taken seriously by my peers.

Yet here I was, in the second summer of high school, twiddling my thumbs with nothing to do—well, not exactly, it wasn't like I had nothing to do.

I lifted my right hand, flinging the dirty rag I was holding in front of my face for a bit, silently wishing there would be a random mystery that fell onto my lap from the rag for me to solve, but of course, that was nothing but my ridiculous, deluded, wishful thinking.

Letting my arm fell limp on my side once more, I leaned my back on the window behind me. Not long after, I felt something vibrating in my pocket. I fished out my cellphone to see who was messaging me, seeing a familiar name on it both make me feel happy and quite lonely at the same time.

> **Hey Naoto-kun, you should visit Tokyo sometimes, I wanna buy you this cuuute shirt I just saw!**

I stared at the text, reading it multiple times before giving a short reply to the sender, Kujikawa Rise, telling her that maybe I will take her up on her offer when I managed to visit Tokyo.

"I may be able to do that fairly soon, it is summer vacation after all…" I mumbled, nodding to myself, eyes twinkling with interest.

Finally, something may happen to put a stop to my downtime.

Reminded of all the nothingness that still filled the air despite having a plan to escape it in the near future, I groaned and flip my phone shut before putting it back into my pocket.

" _I don't wanna be alone…"_

Again I was reminded of my Shadow, who was begging for someone, anyone, to stay with her. I wondered to myself if that was what I currently feel; Loneliness.

I no longer have a mystery or friends and family to accompany me at the moment, I was truly alone with my thoughts.

Right, it was probably why I decided to clean grandfather's office out of whim; I couldn't stand not being able to do anything, nor to be alone with my thoughts. I needed to do something, anything, to occupy myself.

So I did, I stepped away from the window and finally continue with my current self-made task to clean the office. I started with the mahogany desk, wiping it down fervently with the rag I was holding, fully committed to rid of every speck of dust on it.

Due to my full focus on cleaning the desk from dust, I accidentally elbowed a stack of files and documents on the table, and some of them went tumbling down to the floor, successfully making the room even more of a mess.

Groaning in annoyance, I left the rag on the table and kneeled down on the floor, attempting to gather the fallen documents that may be important to grandfather. As I stacked the documents one by one in my arm, a particular, thick, opened file caught my eyes.

Seeing as there was my picture on it, I would assume that it had something to do with me. Ever so curious, I put down the stacked documents in my arm onto the floor and grabbed a possible new mystery that was calling out to me.

With child-like giddiness, I brought the file closer to have a look at what my grandfather whom I respected might be investigating. I wanted to know why there was my picture on it. Before I read it, I noticed the condition of the paper I was seeing, it looked quite old.

"Perhaps, a decade-old?" I muttered to myself, touching the file gently as if it could crumble under my touch.

No longer able to hold back my curiosity, I finally began to read the document.

It was at that moment where I felt like my perception has been shifted completely, a feeling akin to when I found out that magical things like Shadow and Persona exist in a logic-driven world. While what I was reading is not as out of this world as the magical creatures, its impact was big enough to freeze me on the spot.

"This is…no way."

_**Shirogane Naoto: Adopted** _

Was the words that immediately caught my grey eyes. This was a fact that I never known before, nobody ever told me that I wasn't a…real Shirogane?

My heart rate climbed, my hands started to shake. My train of thought began to crumble down into a jumbled mess, eyes still staring at the words in disbelief.

' _No, calm down, assess the situation. Do not make any conclusion before you have the whole picture._ ' I thought to myself with quivering lips.

Thinking that it might be a mistake or a misprint, I flip the document over to see the next page wanting quite honestly wanting to deny what I just read. I immediately went to read the next one, I noticed there was _**Kirijo Group**_ written in a huge, bold letter on the top of the document.

My attention then caught on another picture; it was of a man I do not recognize, quite possibly around my age. However, the unfamiliarity wasn't what made me held my breath; it was because of the fact that this man, whoever he is, looked very similar to me.

A navy blue hair with his bangs hiding one of his steel-grey eyes, all of which were practically the same as my own features. The name _**Arisato Minato**_ was written on it, along with my grandfather's handwriting all over this particular page.

_**Both parents passed away due to an accident.** _

_**Tatsumi Port Island was where I found the poor girl.** _

_**Could he be Naoto's family?** _

Were what my grandfather wrote. I gasped before covering my mouth with my hand, eyes fully wide open.

"W-What? Impossible, d-does that mean that I have a…?"

While still in disbelief, I also felt a strange excitement slowly building up in my heart. I then proceed to continue reading the document, flipping over to the next page. This was when the feeling of disbelief fully replaced with a more positive feeling.

Excitement, and also perhaps, longing?

On this page, I could see _Arisato Minato_ 's details regarding where he was enrolling. My eyes squinted at the name of the school, which I was _very_ familiar with, for it was the school that I fairly recently went to visit for Yasogami High's school trip just before my turning point in that magical summer.

"A brother…"

Arisato Minato.

"A brother…?"

My heart thudded really hard in my chest, my breathing shortened, my hands starting to feel clammy. In my mind, I already imagined what it would feel like to have a brother living with me, to have someone I could always talk to, to share thoughts with, maybe even to play together with.

Someone to accompany me in this huge, empty house. Someone to help me to no longer feel alone with my thoughts.

A family, a brother.

Blinded by the pure ecstasy that was figuring out that not only I have a mystery in my hand, but also a potential brother, my mind has finally decided on another self-made task.

My eyes darted towards the calendar on the wall, "Summer vacation…my apologies Rise-san, I may have to delay our shopping trip."

With a renewed determination, I snapped the thick file shut, holding it close to me as if it was my early Christmas gift. I stood up and ran out of the office. Every step I took I felt lighter and lighter, soon I swear I could almost feel like I was floating.

A brother…!

"Whoa, Naoto-sama, you seem to be in a haste, did something happened?"

I stopped in my tracks when I heard the familiar voice of my grandfather's secretary, Yakushiji-san.

"Ah, Yakushiji-san! I will be off to Tatsumi Port Island, pronto. Please notify grandfather about my whereabouts if he asked, I have a very important matter to attend to!" I answered him, with an obvious child-like enthusiasm in my tone. Then I immediately continue sprinting off towards my bedroom to pack every essential need for the trip.

Before he was out of my hearing range, I heard Yakushiji-san blurted out, "E-Eh..?"

* * *

My eyes glanced towards the duffel bag I put on top of my bed, before darting around, making mental notes to make sure that I was certain that I had every essential packed in said bag. Then I looked at my watch, tapping on it excitedly, knowing that I would be aboard the train towards a mystery to solve very soon.

I grabbed the duffel bag before I went to my mirror, making sure that I look presentable. I wore a tucked-in, long-sleeved navy dress shirt that hugged my body with a black tie, along with a pair of black slacks and suspenders adorned my androgynous appearance, which I am now comfortable with.

A soft gasp escaped my lips, realizing that I almost forgot the trusty hat that had been accompanying me for quite a while now. I chuckled to myself in amusement as I wore the hat, I must be genuinely excited about this trip.

I was finally ready to leave the Shirogane Estate, ready to take on my own personal adventure.

And so I left, with my head held high and a smile on my lips.

When I arrived at a bus stop, I took a deep breath. I put my hand on my knees as another hand tried to wipe the beads of sweat that was forming around my face.

"Oh, Naoto-kun?" I heard a familiar feminine voice called out for me, I cranked my head towards the source to find one of my senpai that I fought along with last year. A dear friend of mine with long black hair and red hairband, Amagi Yukiko.

I tipped my hat to her, "Ah, good day, Yukiko-senpai."

The fire expert Persona user glanced towards my huge duffel bag before raising an eyebrow, "That is one big bag, are you going somewhere, Naoto-kun?"

I scratched my cheek, "Ah, yes, I came across a case that caught my attention."

"Ooh, a case? Out of town?" Yukiko-senpai said with wide eyes, intrigued.

I paused for a bit, "…Indeed, which is why I am heading to Yasoinaba station."

For a moment, I really want to tell this dear friend of mine everything. But I decided not to, keeping it to myself for now. Though I planned to tell everyone in the Investigation Team of my findings in the future, I felt like it wasn't the time yet, for I do not have a clear understanding of this particular mystery myself.

She smiled at me, "Well, that means we'll be together for the ride."

We wait together for the next bus to arrive. While we wait we had a small talk, catching up on each other's lives, in which mine was quite honestly feel dull compared to the next in line manager of Amagi Inn, whose life sounds fully packed with work, especially in summer where the Inn is usually booked.

Our conversation was cut short when the bus arrived, I let my senpai hopped in first before I followed suit behind her. I sat next to her, sighing a bit in contentment when I could finally sit after my wild, spontaneous sprint to the bus stop.

When the bus drove away, I was reminded of why I was there, sitting on a bus. I looked ahead with a smile creeping up to my lips as excitement quickly bubbling up within me yet again, sending butterflies to my stomach.

"Wow, someone seems happy, what's up?"

I was startled by the sudden question, "Ah, well, uhh…" I paused, not sure how to approach this particular topic, "I may have…found someone." I vaguely answered, earning an understanding hum from the older girl.

I was able to tell that my answer really intrigued Yukiko-senpai. However, she didn't enquire further, perhaps sensing that I was not ready to explain everything just yet, thus we fell into silence.

I let out a sigh of relief, I was quite honestly glad that my senpai did not ask any more question regarding my 'case'. Dropping the bomb that I may have a brother with no evidence was not something I wanted to do.

With eyes shut close, flashes of images manifested behind my eyelids, the face that I saw in the picture appeared along with my delusion of life with a brother. A smile, a laugh, maybe a little bit of discourse, things that normal siblings do, normal things that I've never felt due to my circumstances.

" **Yasoinaba Station, Yasoinaba Station."** Came the voice from the speaker on the bus, which snapped me out of my trance.

I stood up from my seat, "Well, this is my stop, senpai. Please tell the others that I am out of town for a case if they enquire you. I shall take my leave now!" I bowed down slightly to the older girl, before walking towards the bus door to hop off.

Yukiko-senpai waved her hand to me with a smile, "Got it, have a safe trip!"

Hopping off the bus completely, I looked up to the sky as the bus left for its next destination. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the last fresh country air. While it was not like it was going to be my last here in my hometown, it was quite possibly the last moment before another turning point in my life.

A change may happen.

With a wide smile on my face, I walked off to embark on my personal journey that was waiting for me.

Only, little did I know.

There was this one particular thing that grandfather wrote, something that I completely missed from the document because I was blinded by my emotions.

_**1992-2010. It is unfortunate that he has passed.** _

* * *

Tapping on my duffel bag, I looked up to stare at one of the most sophisticated schools in the country; Gekkoukan High.

"I still can't believe that he enrolled here…" I mumbled to myself before walking into the school area.

Inside the building, I went to search for the faculty office, attempting to find any school staff that would certainly know and has more details regarding Arisato Minato. Once I reach the office, I could feel my heart rate climbed, so I took a deep breath and patted my chest to calm myself down before knocking on the door and gently slid the door open.

"Please forgive my intrusion." I looked around to find if there's any teacher, there was only one person left on the premises.

The last teacher in the office made eye contact with me, eyes widening as she cupped her mouth with her hand, seemingly surprised about something. Seeing the reaction made me wondered inwardly as to why she reacted that way. Though in the end, I concluded that she was simply surprised at the presence of an unfamiliar person.

"You…" I heard her spoke lowly. I raised an eyebrow at her quivering tone, finding that reaction really odd.

I bowed slightly before approaching her, "Good day, my name is Shirogane Naoto, I am a detective. I would like to enquire you regarding a student who quite possibly enrolled here?"

The teacher raised her eyebrows, realizing something, "O-Oh, Shirogane Naoto, right. Uhh, that name sounds familiar. Regardless, my name is Toriumi Isako." She bowed her head, I did the same.

She stared at me from head to toe, observing my feature closely for whatever reason she had in mind. Was she intrigued? Or was it something else?

"Ah, my apologies for staring…who would you like to know about, detective?"

I nodded, before proceeding to open the file and showed her the photo, "I would like to know about Arisato Minato, do you recognize him?"

gasped, her face contorted into one of…sadness?

She kept staring at the picture in front of her, eventually her expression softened, sadness replaced with that of nostalgia. She did not utter another word for quite a while, for she just stared at the picture, looking like she was deep in thought.

Then she snapped out of her trance, "Ah, I-I was his homeroom teacher. He…was such a smart kid."

I could feel my face lit up, "I see, do you happen to know where he lives?"

The teacher flinched, she stared at me with mixed emotions, seemingly lost for words.

Biting her lower lip, she finally answered, "If I remember correctly, he used to live at Iwatodai Dorm."

Nodding, I hummed in understanding before closing the file and tucked it in my arm, feeling satisfied that I found out where he lived. Even if he wasn't living there anymore, certainly the dorm manager would have more information regarding his whereabouts.

The giddy feeling came back at full force. I could sense that I was getting closer to the answer to the mystery, and it sent electricity throughout my whole being.

I bowed deeply, "Thank you very much for your information, Ms. Toriumi. I shall take my leave now." I tipped my head in a bit more enthusiastic way than I usually is, feeling really grateful to her. The cheery tone in my voice wasn't lost on me, I was aware that I may be going at this a little bit like a child who were about to get her birthday present.

And so I walked out of the faculty office and went on to my next destination.

* * *

"I think the kind lady said it's around this area…"

My eyes wandered around the unfamiliar area, searching for the dorm building. I continued walking a bit further before my eyes finally caught a sign that said **Iwatodai Dorm.** Sensing that I got closer and closer to the answer to this mystery, I smiled to myself for the umpteenth time that day.

Without waiting any longer, I let my feet take me to the building. I stopped right in front of the door, pausing a little bit to prepare myself for the next step to solve this 'case'.

I was about to reach the door with my free hand to knock when I heard a voice from behind me.

"Oh, hello there, can I help you?"

Startled, I spun my heel to see who called out to me, to find an intimidating looking lady with a beautiful, silky burgundy colored mane flowing behind her. I watched her eyes widen the moment she finally able to see my face, mouth slightly hung open.

I tilted my head in confusion, I found her face quite familiar, but I couldn't quite put why.

I heard the clicking sound of her high heels as I saw her walked in a very elegant manner towards me. Once she got close to me, I noticed her eyes darting up and down, staring at me from head to toe with sharp, icy eyes. Her mouth was closing and opening slightly before she pressed her lips thin, as if she wanted to say something to me, but wasn't able to.

If looks could kill, hers most definitely would.

Something clicked in my head, now that I could see her up close. I finally figured out why she looked familiar to me.

' _She's Kirijo Mitsuru, the current head of Kirijo Group.'_ I thought to myself as I stared back at her in confusion. I did not understand why the head of the Kirijo Group would be here—

_**Kirijo Group** _

The name that was in the document. This would mean that she certainly knows who Arisato Minato is, and perhaps had a clue regarding his current whereabouts.

Realizing that I've been staring without answering her, I bowed my head politely to her, "Ah, my apologies, my name is Shirogane Naoto, a detective. I am currently in search of someone who used to live here."

Kirijo Mitsuru sighed, as if…relieved? Because of what, I had no clue about. I noticed there was a certain pattern here, what with two people reacting in a similar way when they saw me.

Was it my appearance?

"Whom are you looking for, detective?" Came another question from her.

I nodded before opening the file that I have in my hand and pointed to the picture of the man I was looking for, "I am looking for Arisato Minato."

She gasped, her composed face crumbled down completely, contorting into a mix of emotions. The fact that two people have shown the expression of anguish after I mentioned the name wasn't lost on me.

After being silent for a bit, she took a deep breath, "Let us continue our conversation inside. Coincidentally, I am having a reunion with my friends, who also his, in this dorm."

I widen my eyes at that, "…Very well, please, lead the way." I stepped aside from the door, allowing the head of Kirijo Group to open the door, and walked in with me in tow.

' _Does that mean that he's here too…?'_

"Hey-hey the lady of the day is finally here—WHOA WHAT THE HELL!?" I heard someone exclaimed loudly, I flinched in surprise as I snapped my head towards a guy wearing a blue baseball cap with a goatee that was pointing at me.

I couldn't help but staring at him in bewilderment, not comprehending why he would suddenly shout like that. Not only that, I watched as the other people in the lounge scrambled out of their seats, gasps and whispers could be heard as they too gazed at me as if they just saw a ghost.

My eyes did a quick once over to the group in front of me, to find if Arisato Minato was there along with them, only to find that he was not present.

I bowed hesitantly, still feeling confused, "Uhm…Good day, my name is Shirogane Naoto, a detective. I am looking for the whereabouts of Arisato Minato." At my statement, the group flinched in surprise, before the mood of the entire group changed, into that of anguish.

' _The same reaction…'_ I thought to myself with squinted eyes.

After a long silence with no one speaking as if they had no idea what to say, soon my ears perked up at the sound of sobbing, surprised at the sudden noise, I gazed towards a strange blonde female who was wearing headphones of the sort. I silently watched her with her tears streaming down her cheeks, and she desperately tried to stop herself from crying by wiping her tears with her gloved hands.

This reaction truly caught me off guard.

"M-My apologies, I did not expect to hear that name again, I—" She sobbed hard once again. Another lady with bright brown hair approached the blonde, patting her shoulder whilst biting her lower lip, eyes glossy as if she also about to cry along with the blonde.

The blonde stared up to the brown-haired female, nodding her head to the other female to reassure her that she was fine, before glancing towards me, "Minato-san…passed away two years ago."

I could feel my heart stopped beating for a moment at her statement. As if I was being showered with ice water, every single childish, giddy feeling that had been swimming around within me faded without a trace, fully awoken me from my deluded wishes.

I held my breath, pressing my lips thin as I furrowed my eyebrows tight. Unconsciously, I hugged the thick file in my arms tight, as if wanting to cling to something, anything that would not allow this childish dream of mine to be shattered completely.

The dream of having someone to accompany me, a brother.

" _Why delude yourself?"_

I could almost hear my Shadow sneered at me, laughing at me at what my childish self had brought upon me. I laughed to myself inwardly, realizing that I was the one at fault here, I was the one who was wishing for the impossible and to be blinded by it that I stopped trying to think about this further, to investigate this properly before I embark on my foolish journey carelessly.

Shirogane Naoto, or as the title people have put on me, _The Detective Prince_ , doing an incredibly foolish wild goose chase.

Feeling like reality finally catching up to me, I hung my head down, clutching my temples. Despite not even knowing this man; Arisato Minato, personally, I still feel devastated at the news. Whether it was because it was such an idiotic fact to miss as a _Detective_ , or because I felt like I just lost a family as _Naoto_ , I had no idea.

"Shirogane-san..?" I heard Kirijo spoke to me, she sounded confused as to why I suddenly became so quiet.

I snapped my head towards her, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall, "A-Ah, yes, my apologies I—" I went on after biting my lower lip, "I just thought that I could finally meet someone that may or may not be my brother."

Loneliness quickly spread all over me after I finally dropped the bomb. After saying it out loud, it did make me realize how lonely I've been feeling, so much so that I tried to grasp on anything, clinging on anything that may get me out of this particular emotion that I never spoke much to anyone about.

Not even to Rise-san whom I have been particularly close with recently, my close friend who is now on her own journey in another city. The oddly bubbly yet passionate teen idol who always invades my personal space and always there to be with a timid, socially awkward me despite her having no reason to.

I realized then, that the loss of a mystery, the loss of those times when I was still fighting Shadows, and hanging out with people I truly consider as dear friends truly hit me hard. A massive void was created in my heart the moment we solved the case and everyone went their separate ways to pursue their passions.

Like a child whose toys were taken away, I was truly childish.

"Wait hold up, did you just say brother?" I glanced at the man with a goatee who was sending me a questioning look.

I hung my head down again, not sure where else to look at but the floor, hiding my face, "I…am not sure myself. But my grandfather has been investigating it, and it is why I am here to see through this case myself."

It hurt.

Flashes of memory of being alone with my books inside the empty Shirogane estate appeared in my mind. Memories of me reading my grandfather's cases, or mystery novels, in order to fill in the emptiness with something, a mystery to distract me from my lonely self.

And when I tried to be like my grandfather, society rejected me because of my age and my gender, leaving me with nothing yet again, but I was still determined to find something that would make me feel less alone and more alive, like a normal human being.

"I thought…I could have someone with me after being so alone for a long time."

It hurt, and this feeling would not stop.

But I need to end it, I need to wake up and face the harsh reality.

"Please forgive me for reminding you all of such a painful memory."

Just like when I accepted my Shadow, acknowledging that this, was also me.

I bowed down politely to the group in front of me, "Thank you very much for the information. Now that my question has been answered, I shall take my leave, please pardon me."

Was I running away? Or accepting reality?

All I knew was that I need to get out of there as soon as possible before the dam broke within me.

At the pregnant silence, I took that as a cue for me to leave. As awkward as it was, I knew that there was nothing else I could do, and the least I could do for Arisato Minato's friends were to lay his case to rest.

I stepped out of the dorm after barely hearing the awkward farewells from the group. The door behind me closed gently, and I looked up to the darkening sky. With a mix of emotions still swirling within me, I took a deep breath and slowly went down the stairs, every step that I took felt heavier and heavier.

The moment my feet landed on the pavement, I felt rivulets of water on my skin. I looked around to find that it was raining out of the blue. I pondered to myself if it was a mere coincidence or the world trying to tell me that it was okay to cry.

Which I did, at the feeling of cold rain touching my skin, I let my hot tears out, the dam of emotions finally breaking. I felt some sort of relief the moment I just let it all out, sobbing under the rain.

I have endured this feeling for a long time, it was time for me to fully accept it and let go. While emotions were the ones that blinded me and brought about this spontaneous, yet short journey, these same emotions have given me something to reflect on.

Although I could not lie, it still hurt, and the void that I tried to ignore still exists within me. My wish for this side of me to cease from existing was still there.

My feet brought me forward, while I did not have the solution to my problem yet, I decided to follow my emotions instead of repressing it. Every small step I took, I could see the road in front of me getting blurry.

I snapped out of my trance, sensing something that was…off.

I watched as the path in front of me slowly getting swallowed up by a mist.

Fog?

Soon, the odd fog enveloped the area entirely; sending chills to my spine, and it was definitely not because of the chilly feel of the rain. Something about this fog rang alarm bells in my mind.

"What is—hngh?!" Out of nowhere, I felt a massive headache, cutting my thoughts completely. I held my head in my hand, trying to endure the sudden pain.

I could hear white noises, I couldn't figure out whether it was all in my head or if it was from my surroundings.

The fog was getting thicker to the point of I could barely even see my own body. Then I heard the white noises got louder, deafening every other sound, causing me to fall on my knees, still holding my head in agony.

Then I heard a voice.

' **Would you like to meet your brother?'**

I gasped, craning my head around to find the source of the voice, to find nothing but thick fog. As if something heavy was put upon me, I let go of the file that I tucked in my arm and put my hands on the ground to support my body.

' **I shall help you, child of man.'**

I let out a groan, before wheezing and fell flat on the hard ground beneath me, breathing hard as I could feel my eyes getting blurry.

' **Consider this my gratitude towards you.'**

With a last pained groan, I felt my consciousness fading.

* * *

"—ey!"

I heard the voice of a man as I slowly come to.

"Hey!" This time the man exclaimed as he shook my body, which woke me up completely.

Opening my eyes, I noticed my sight was extremely hazy. Blinking to clear my sight, I glanced to my side, wondering what exactly just happened. I felt even more confused when I realized how dark my surroundings were, bar the bright moonlight shining outside the…

Train?

Why was I on a dark, moving train?

Not only that, I noticed weird coffins scattered around the train, along with ominous dark red substance all over the floor.

"Hey, are you okay?" The man spoke again, with worry this time as he patted my shoulder, causing me to glance at the hand on my shoulder before finally looking up at him.

Only to find a pair of steel grey eyes staring back at my own.

My eyes widen as I gasped.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, well, I shall see whether I can update this soon.
> 
> I have the rough outline of the story in my head (for years), and 2 more chapters already written—albeit in Indonesian.
> 
> We shall see.
> 
> See you guys next time!


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